On the forth day
by Shakey Tomato
Summary: RikkuxGippalWhat happens when Rikku is forced to stay at the Machina Faction for three days, with the one and only Gippal!
1. Default Chapter

**The crazed Rikku/Gippal Story**

A/N: This is my first fanfic so please… be harsh! How else will I learn? Enjoy! 99.9 of this fanfic is in AlBhed, so no reviews saying how themachina faction peoplecan't speak english, I know.

Disclaimer : I do not own any thing except this plot, so don't sue me and make me suffer more by making me remember how pathetic I am!

Chapter 1 : Dreaming of you

A drunken party still seared on outside. Every few seconds one of the fine expensive glasses shattering could be heard faintly under the heavy music. Inside the bedroom the music was dulled but still heard hard and strong accompanied by the loud gruff voices of AlBhed yelling over the song. The thick smell of expensive dark wines floated through the air heavily, it could make even the strongest of men dizzy.

Even after only having one drink it was beginning to have it's affect on Gippal as he sat silently watching the chest of girl in his arms go up and down under the thin greenish colored sheets. The bed they lay in was extremely uncomfortable and sharp, and being this was more of a room for men to enjoy their prostitutes, the blankets were most likely covered in some sort of smut. The unlockable door was held shut with a rickety old dresser that they feared to even look in, only reminding him more and more of this places resemblance to a cheap (almost free) room in a tacky old hotel.

He ran his fingers through her loose blonde hair, gently moving the strands that had strayed into her eyes and tucking them behind her ear. As soft as he had tried to move Gippal still managed to wake her and stared into her glistening emerald eyes; he smiled instantly. She had beautiful eyes.

"Gippal?" She whispered and reached out to touch his cheek. He could feel her small tanned fingers shaking as they brushed his skin lightly before falling limp at his neck.

Instead of answering he loosened his grip on her slightly and began to trace the indefinite curves of her thin little body with his lips and tongue, stopping shortly at her stomach where the girl wouldn't stop giggling enough for him to go any further. He laughed too, but only at her innocence. The thought pained him.

He slid back up and placed his head on her chest wrapping his arms back around her pulling her tightly to him. With a faint impression why, Gippal never worried so much as he held her to his chest. What if someone came looking for them? How would it be between them after this? Did she want there to be more after this night? At the same time a genuine smile was plastered to his face. He liked how she smiled back and if she was happy it didn't even seem to matter what would happen next.

Slowly he kissed the side of her breast and sighed. "Don't fall asleep yet," he muttered, looking up into her eyes. Before doing any thing else he made it a point to say it, the one thing he knew that could tell her for certain how he cared gently he sounded out every syllable making sure to get it just right. Slowly he whispered her name, he whispered, "Rikku".

He expected an over whelming amount of joy, he expected at least a smile to touch her delicate little face, instead she looked at him unmoving. She began twisting a finger into some of his hair and yanked hard, "What, did you call me!" her voice came out deeper that normal and she really sounded angry.

A haze covered his vision from that pull and caused him to blink his eyes a few times to clear it up. Instead of staring at the beautiful Rikku beneath him he looked at a girl he didn't even recognize. Quickly he grabbed a fistful of dark hair in his fingers and examined it carefully then looked to her equally dark eyes. The girl looked at him furiously and began squirming to get out from under him, after a short while she managed and plucked her clothes from the floor throwing them hastily on and leaving his room rapidly making a point to slam to door hard to make the picture frames on the walls shake.

This wasn't the hotel room, there wasn't a party outside, and most importantly Rikku was no where to be found. This was Gippal's own room in the Machina Faction HQ, cluttered and messy with a reasonably comfortable bed. He couldn't believe he had actually dreamt that, when it had felt so real, when he had been so happy.

It was just another regular night, sleeping with a girl whose name he still couldn't remember, and coincidently finding that his wallet had gone missing, along with a large bottle of champagne. He wondered faintly how she could have managed to sneak that out with out him noticing. His dream however wasn't so regular, he hadn't had a sex dream about Rikku since he was really young, and he hadn't had a sex dream about any one that left him so feeling so disturbed.

He'd never actually felt in love with any girl, the way he was with Rikku. But he didn't love Rikku. Sure she was a tiny little thing with a nice body, she did some of the most adorable things humanly possible, she blushed when he teased her, she had a nice body, she tried desperately to make people around her happy, and she had an unbearably hot body, but he didn't love her, or any one for that matter. Women were fun to play with and if you had one for too long you would get bored with her. That being said love is obsolete, and only for people too shy or moral for a different woman every night.

Sunlight was already pouring through the windows and stung Gippal's eye. Another day of work, today would be just another boring day of work.

"So any thing special planned for today?" Gippal asked roughly to the man standing just outside his bedroom door. His assistant if that's what you'd like to call him, despite his amazing ability to never assist in any way, just like his welders couldn't weld, and nobody could do the job they were assigned to do, they were pretty good at other peoples job's though, that is if there were people some where in Spira hired to stand around all day and talk.

"That _woman _you hired to answer the phones won't tell me any thing, even though I know she has got phone calls, I've heard her talking," He droned on for a few more minutes about the unnecessary equal rights laws before Gippal ended up shoving him in a closet and locking the door. Then went over to talk to the lady who answered the phones.

She wasn't exactly pretty, from what Gippal could tell but she had the most annoying voice sounding extremely similar to a parrot's, and yes she was on the phone. Of coarse she wasn't talking to any body related to the Machina Faction, she was busying up the line with personal calls. So Gippal just disconnected the phone, he wasn't getting any business calls anyway, and still managing to save money on the phone bill.

Next he had to face a welder who had somehow managed to burn his fingers off under the completely fire proof suit he was wearing. He screamed so loud and then picked up the blowtorch and tried to weld more hitting his fingers once more, and just kept going at them even though he was obviously in pain. Gippal's response to this was to get a bottle of air freshener and spray it around the man to make the smell of burning flesh go away. He was in too bad of a mood to wrestle him for the blowtorch, considering this same thing happened every morning and somehow he came back every day with charred stubs of fingers to whittle down.

"What is he doing to these people, see I told you all about him but people said I was crazy!" a thick sloppy voice sauntered through the air, immediately Gippal recognized it to be Brother's.

"I said you were crazy for a totally different reason, I probably would have believed you if you told me Gippal mutilated people" quipped a squeaky little voice, he shivered when hearing it. Soft and innocent as ever Rikku giggled.

Gippal looked away from the welder to see the two of them, accompanied by Buddy and Shinra standing at the large door of the temple. Happy to find a reason to leave the idiotic workers alone, he jumped up with a jolt, and waved. "What are you guys doing here?"

Brother hmphed loudly at the sight of him and turned his head away, Shinra tilted his head and Buddy had his eyes glued to the screaming AlBhed man looking rather scared. So naturally Rikku answered, "We told the phone bird to leave you a message, didn't you get it?" she tilted her head to the side and scratched her cheek briefly.

"Phone Bird!" he shouted, "Do I have any messages?" only to be answered with a little quip asking how she could get any messages with her phone disconnected. The group began to stare at Gippal strangely only for the uncomfortable ness to be enhanced as the assistant found there way to them apparently having broke open the closet door, or figured out it locked from the inside. (Gippal does live here after all)

"This is worker abuse Mr. Gippal! Your not allowed to lock men in a closet, if any body lock that stupid woman in it!" the assistant's face looked red under his mask.

"Get back to work!" he almost yelled back making every one around him shrink back a few steps even the welder stopped screaming for a few seconds. The assistant grumbled away, the phone lady/parrot pretended to work on an invisible phone and the welder tried to weld a chunk of skin back onto his finger. Stubborn obnoxious --

"You shouldn't treat your workers so severely," muttered Brother still not looking at him.

"I concur," Shinra sheepishly followed.

Gippal gave them an evil stare making Rikku scoot back a few feet and hide behind her brother, then he took turns pointing at her, Shinra, and Brother, "You, you, and you SHUT UP! Buddy tell me why you're here." he demanded.

"I don't know." he muttered and then pushed Rikku out from behind Brother and hid there himself. She stumbled and almost hit the floor.

"Me and these big strong men, need an upgrade on the Celsius, we're getting passed by gulls," she muttered looking at her feet then gazed up only holding fear in her eyes for a second, then smiled "We'll help you out though and pay you, considering your crew is going to mutinize you tonight, it's the least we can do " she giggled brightly and Gippal smiled. He didn't want to help them out people were just out to get him and today he was less than likely to just deal with it, but the way Rikku smiled at him made him want to. At least he would be getting away from the idiotic trio for a while.

Rikku noticed his smile abruptly then pointed a shaky finger at him, "But if you even think about telling ME to shut up again, we're tying you up and throwing you in the Moonflow," she screeched in her squeaky little voice.

"A river filled with shoopuf shit, you've got my attention now Cid's girl," He sniped fearing for his hair, then reached out to pull her bandanna over her eyes, trying to prove to himself how much he did need to see them.

R&R -


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow and thank you for all of the wonderful reviews, they really made my day. I'd respond to each and every one of you, but hey I'm lazy. Any way I'm sorry about all the grammar mistakes, I can't even see them. My teacher hasn't taught us all of the grammar stuff in school yet, so it's her fault not mine! And when I said this fic is mostly AlBhed, I should have said (again too lazy) every one in the fic shares a common language when they speak so I won't get all technical and type every single AlBhed thing, because it makes no difference. Adds to my word count, but it might get annoying.

Disclaimer : As much as I'd really, really want to I do not own any characters locations organizations, or any thing Not even the sacred dirt in which they stand on in this fic. Just borrowing with out asking, nothing wrong with that.

Blah Blah Blah. I'm not exactly happy with this chapter but it leads up to chapters I really like, so humor me for now. Thankies

* * *

Chapter 2 :Lack Luster bets

Gippal shifted around some of the complex pieces of the Celsius, coaxing the little pieces out one by one and examining them. Most of the pieces looked fine so he jammed them back in but the engine was totally fried. He would have checked the engine first, the professional thing to do as Rikku informed him, but he was so used to working with little machina that needed every little piece to move and function that he didn't think of it. To him that airship was just a big old machina, like the ones he designed.

He picked at the engine a little bit seeing if you gave it a poke it would move, and was again notified of his stupidity by Rikku, making him wonder why they even needed him at all. Gippal finally after about an hour stood up and looked to a cock eyed Brother, then turned changed his mind turning to Rikku.

"What did you guys do hit a tree?" he said distantly removing his gloves.

"No way! We could plow down any ole tree! The Celsius, poor girl, just has internal problems," she gave the ship an affectionate pat once she'd finished ruthlessly punching the air. "So what'cha think Doc, will she live?"

"First of all don't you try hitting a tree it'll kill the 'poor girl' " he said softly avoiding looking into Rikku's eyes, so instead he looked at his hands, " Second it was never alive to begin with. Third--"

"Third disregard number 2," she interrupted angrily

"Forth Gippal is the only one allowed to say numbers. Fifth It's going to take a few days for this big piece of tin foil to be safe," Gippal looked up to see how she would react to that hoping she'd understood the implied "Your staying with me" in number 5.

"So I guess were roughing it," she sighed and looked briefly at Brother, "I hope he didn't hear what you said about his baby."

"No no," Gippal shook his hands slightly before placing them on Rikku's shoulders, "You guys are staying in the temple,"

As Gippal caught her eye she smiled and attempted to shake his hands off of her, "You know as much as I'd like to hear every little detail of what you and your "girls" do in that bedroom, I'll pass, we sleep out side all of the time no big deal," she laughed nervously and brushed of an imaginary problem out of the air, "The sound in that temple really carries…"

"Now I know you won't believe me," he started not even thinking before he spoke, "but until you and your circus animals leave the temple I will be celibate,"

Rikku opened her eyes wide with surprise and gasped loudly, "Is that even possible! How do I know your not lying, because frankly I'd love to see you in such a sex deprived state." she shook her head fluttering her hair around, "I'll stay with you in the temple, and the rest can stay outside like good little circus animals, _if _you agree to put the cost of the Celsius's parts on the loser of this little bets head."

"So your betting I won't be able to go 2 or 3 days with out having sex?" he questioned sending her the little tilting of the head look.

"Yes sir," Rikku said jumping up and doing a little dance, "So is it a bet?"

He did the patented thinker pose then turned to her, "Do you count?" the very mention of it made her blush severely.

"Yes!" She shouted smacking him on the back of the head.

"But if you lose you'll just have to pay the money you would have to any way, let's add something else so it's fair, how about money on the losers head and--"

"And winner gets a naked picture of the loser" she squealed, then Gippal looked at her suspiciously raising an eyebrow making her blush, "to … you know, um… post all over big cities and stuff," she covered quickly spitting out her tongue.

"Uh huh, sure. Okay bets on so you better watch your self Cid's girl, and just so we're clear if you have sex your side falls through,"

"Aww, there goes my evening," she said winking and jutted out a hand, Gippal threw out his hand and interlocked it with hers, they shook hard, and despite a few comments about making STD awareness flyers, continued working in silence.

Gippal insisted that they stay in the same room to keep an eye on each other so Rikku agreed with out complaint. He was disappointed that he would have to give up his bed for her and slightly surprised she'd even want to sleep there, but Rikku washed that thought away with her overwhelming modesty issues. That girl practically dragged him up on the bed with her and won't take no for an answer. Gippal guessed she missed her stuffed animals and couldn't sleep by her self.

Of coarse Rikku wore her little bikini top and her thong, and Gippal just wore regular old boxers, he had no need to seduce her, but considered he might like the feel of her skin against his for real. So he tried to get as close to her as possible, if doing anything at all he was confusing her, she kept scooting away, and of coarse that was extremely sexy and she was really getting him excited. (sarcasm) After a while of her moving off the side of the bed and going to the other, Rikku began trying to beat him away with a pillow. And so began the pillow fight.

At about three o' clock in the morning a rough knocking came at the door. They stopped childishly throwing pillows at each other, and Gippal got up to answer the knockings, just to stare into the red eyes of Buddy.

"What ever you are doing to Brother's little sister, try to be a little more discrete or are you forgetting he's here too?" he looked incredibly tired as he mumbled these words then looked over to Rikku, she must of done something, because Buddy had to hold his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing, and still had a few laughs cracking out from beneath it.

"Go away," he said simply and shut the door in his face then turned to Rikku, "What were you doing"

"Flirting with Buddy of coarse," she said quietly fluttering her eye lashes, but the position of her hands suggested a little bit more, "I think I'm going to crack before you, he looks awfully good in this light," slowly she crawled to the bottom of the bed, and took a pose pushing her chest forward, "You know… you look awfully nice in this light too, maybe even better," He knew she was teasing but he couldn't help thinking how sexy she looked.

"You know it'll never work out, the other girls at the brothel can smell perfume, and they can hit surprisingly hard for skinny little things. You've got competition sweetheart," he teased, and walked up to her climbing up onto the bed. She inched nearer to him and rose his eye level.

"Stop it!" She screeched, and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Your making me want you even more! Don't say we can't it just makes me want you… I want you Gippal, and I always get what I want," slowly she brought her lips close to his then pulled away feeling his muscular chest then ran her lips across it, from the crook of his neck down to lip of his boxer shorts then back up again running her hands inches behind her lips the whole way. As she reached eye level once more she locked her fingers on the rim of his boxers pulled and traced the seam all the way around to the back then pulled Gippal towards her. He could have over powered her, but he just didn't want to.

They toppled down on the bed and immediately she pinned him down with her legs, placing her hands on his shoulders then began to kiss his chest violently. After a few minutes she pushed herself up and quickly untied her bikini top and threw it on the ground then slowly brought her lips next to his ear, "You know, If we sleep together it's not really breaking the rules, and I won't tell if you don't," That sounded like a perfect idea.

They quickly switched positions while Gippal worked on removing her thong she couldn't stop giggling then he looked up briefly whispering "Rikku stay still for a second," just as he said that he closed his eye for a second and when he opened it he was lying on his pillow on his side looking into the beautiful eyes of Rikku.

"Man, if only I could get you to say my name while your awake," she whispered pulling the sheets tightly to her, of all people Rikku who dressed like a baby prostitute was getting self conscious, "What were you dreaming about, sounded heated" she winked.

He didn't answer. In one jerking movement he yanked the sheets up and looked at her body. Rikku was dressed just the same as before, bikini top and a thong. Gippal sighed as he saw her thin figure, then looked back up to her wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her tight in a hug, "You of coarse!" he muttered happily.

Instantly her cheeks turned red and she tired to pull away from him having no luck she looked up into his eyes angrily and flushed, "Stop It! If you don't let me go I'll scream rapist!" she whispered harshly spitting as she spoke.

Gippal just pulled her closer, "I love you too sweetheart!"

She breathed in deeply ready to scream, when he pressed his lips to hers, immediately she kissed back almost impulsively, snaking her arms around to the back of his neck.

* * *

R&R And I'll love you forever. Okey Dokey? 


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N : **Sorry About the wait. I'm not going to make excuses, the answer is plain and simple. I am a filthy perfectionist, and I spent hours and hours trying to make every little word perfect and it still doesn't sound right to me, and that's why this chapter is longer than the others. So I'll need tons of reviews to see if I'm just wasting my time.

I won't babble for hours, because no one really came here to read my Author's note now did they?

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Gippal found himself on his bed, feeling light headed from the ferocious sun light beating on him through a small window positioned over it. Rikku had been in the bathroom for half and hour, much longer than it took to take a shower, but the water was still running. By now it was starting to worry him. What if she fell and broke her neck?

No. He wasn't worried about her. Why would he be worried about her? He was worried that Brother would kill him if he found Rikku dead in his shower, if any thing. Why would he be worried about a stupid little girl? So what if she died? No big deal. It's not like it's the end of the world or anything. He was most definitely not worried about her.

Quickly Gippal jolted over to the door flinging it open loudly, then stopped dead in his tracks at what he saw. The shower curtain was clear and showed every detail of the things behind it, which at this time was Rikku showering somehow blissfully unaware of any one else's existence.

For a minute or two he stood shocked just staring at the way the water dripped off of her hair, the way it followed the curves of her tender little body, and thinking about how much he wanted to be in there with her, how much he wanted to follow the contour of her body with his own hands. He took a step forward letting the desire consume him.

Little by little he began to become more aware of the risk he was putting himself into by just standing there. It didn't look good that's for sure. Just as he turned to head out of the bathroom, he heard it. Rikku's soft voice rang out softly, hitting the first note in a pretty song. The words seemed inaudible under the pounding water, but the gentle melody rose above all else. This song was too sad for such a sunny little girl to be singing.

She wasn't particularly a good singer but her voice wasn't terrifying either, it just sounded soft and maybe sort of … angelic. He closed the door quietly and sat down resting his head against it. He didn't need to see her showering to enjoy this. So maybe her voice wasn't the best in the world, maybe the song wasn't Rikku enough, or maybe it was just perfect. It doesn't matter that's just the way Gippal heard it.

Breakfast was eaten in silence filled with glares Brother had been giving to the leader of the Machina Faction. Gippal however was oblivious to them. Buddy and Shinra ate with them, not even daring to look up, and Rikku was taking a nap with her dripping head resting on the table, her hair almost falling into her bowl of soggy half sugar half cereal. The way she snored really softly and daintily was almost cute, you'd never expect her to be such a snippy little thing.

A bowl of cereal of his own was laid out in front of him but he didn't even touch it as it grew more and more disgustingly soggy, instead he stared at Rikku, carefully taking in every little detail of her face. Watching as her shadowy eyelashes opened to reveal the gorgeous eyes that he loved so much.

"Morning," she mumbled through a yawn and rubbed her eyes, then scanned the environment briefly before looking to Gippal and smiled, "You haven't been off with any girls while I was sleeping have you?"

He grinned back and ruffled her hair, "You were only asleep for twenty minutes, Cid's girl," he got up and tried to clean up the bowls, but she struggled to keep hers, still wanting to eat the soggy mush.

After a few minutes of poking Brother, with the same principal as machina poke it and maybe it'll come to life, they headed back out side to work on the Celsius. Mainly Gippal doing all the work and Rikku pestering him, (about time for a switch) and Brother watching over them carefully more looking out that they didn't do any thing to his airship rather than doing any thing to each other. So naturally Rikku flirted insanely with the man, trying to get attention from her brother, with no avail. The only thing this accomplished was getting Gippal to flirt back with just as much velocity.

"Gippal!" She screamed from a few feet away, her back turned away from him, so he couldn't tell what was going on but she sounded awfully panicked. Immediately Gippal dropped the piece he was working on and ran over to her placing his hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he whispered leaning over her shoulder.

She looked back at him with her eyes wide with panic, but didn't move for a few seconds, then quickly scuttled behind him pointing to the pile of oily machina parts she was sitting at, "Th-There's something moving in there." she wrapped her fingers around his waist and pulled herself up to his back, squeezing him tightly, "Can you kill it?"

His eyes widened in surprise. There was definitely something moving in the parts, it sputtered oil sloppily. He should have been suspicious of that, and Rikku actually being scared. The only thing he'd ever seen her run from before was a thick peel of lightning. Instead he poked at it only to get a big glob of oil spat in his face. She cracked up.

"I can't believe you fell for it!" she said between laughs. He scooped a handful oil off of his face and threw it at Rikku, nailing her right between the eyes. That really seemed to tick her off but she wasn't surprised at all.

"Eww, this is never ever going to come off!" she glared at him as it began to drip down her face and off her chin.

"You asked for it!" Gippal sputtered while trying to scrape the stubborn grease off of his face, it left a dark stain.

"What ever. We're never going to get any work done this way," she crossed her arms over her chest.

Something had changed about her recently. Today she only smiled when throwing oil at him, other than that she just scowled. Well she had smiled at him and every body else today, but she hadn't really smiled. Today her eyes squinted too much, her teeth made too much of an appearance, she didn't laugh only snickered under her breath, and not one attempt at happiness reached her eyes.

As Rikku tried to walk away from him, he reached out automatically grabbing her arm with his oily covered fingers, "What the hell is the matter with you?"

"Geez, it's just a little oil don't get so pissed," she whispered trying to use the oil as a lubricant to side out of his grasp, only making him feel the need to tighten his fist.

"No, not the oil, you. You're being so fake. Do you really hate being here so much, you get depressed because you know I can take you some where, all you have to do is ask. Don't you think I can see--?"

"Gippal let go that hurts!" Rikku yelped. Little by little while he talked his fist had grown tighter on her arm, and by the time he looked down her fingers were starting to turn blue. He hadn't meant to do any thing to her; maybe he just forgot her arm was in his hand. It killed him that he hurt her, but it killed him more that she was hurt, that she was suffering.

"Damn it, I'm so sorry, I swear I didn't mean to…" she flinched as he reached a hand out to her, but she still grabbed it firmly.

"I know, its okay," she let lose a soft smile that reached her eyes, "Come on we need to get to work, or I'll be stuck on the ground forever,"

Gippal laid a kiss on each of the finger prints on her arm, making her giggle, "What's that supposed to mean? You're sad because you're here?"

She looked away from him, "Hey look it's lunch time!" she giggled and picked up a back pack filled with sandwiches that Gippal's assistant had made for them. Rikku slung it over her back and headed for Mushroom Rock Road, and Gippal followed her closely behind.

The person who rented hovers was already on a lunch break, and as far as they could tell they had been on one all day, so Gippal and Rikku sat down to eat their lunch all by them selves just out side of D'jose. Rikku ate her sandwich slowly and gazed out at the bland scenery as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

Finally she whispered, "I'm not sad because I'm here. You have to be really dense to ever think that Rikku is sad! I just don't like being on the ground for to long it locks you inside your head and makes you think about things you don't want to think about. It makes you think --" she blushed and looked at him slightly embarrassed, "Never mind you already think I'm stupid."

"I don't just think your stupid," she gave him a hard pinch, "So does that mean you'd never want to be in a place like this?"

She spit out her tongue with her cheeks becoming redder by the second, "Why does that concern you?"

A smile spread across Gippal's lips. He didn't think she'd notice anything suggestive in that sentence. He just had to know, and the only way to know for certain was to ask her. From you know common interest…

"Even my ultimate charm couldn't lure you away from your milling adventures?"

"Don't you ever get tired of it? Standing in one spot all the time, knowing what the morning holds before it will happen, and never having a big adventure? And believe me Gippal _my _charm would lure you away from any thing with just a wink of the eye," She giggled and fluttered her eye lashes.

"Why would I get bored when people act differently every day? You don't have to see new people all the time to be excited that would be just hollow and lonely, always being a stranger, you know?"

"You've changed," she said gently between bites.

"What? Really?" he shook his head. Gippal had no idea what she was talking about, if any thing it was the two of them who resisted the effects of time, and remained unchanging for eternity. She certainly hadn't changed.

"Yeah, you're stupider." she smiled sheepishly, "A few years ago you would have agreed, 'Settling down is a bad thing, meeting new people every day and having colossal adventures. Saving the world is the only true destiny; it's just whether you chose the right events to activate it. Sometimes if you meet the right people, or over here the right conversations any thing is possible and every little day you rot away 'settling' down with replaceable people, or even irreplaceable mediocre people who you can find a better person to be with who wants to travel the world too.' I believe you told me that,"

"There is no one right thing for every one, Cid's girl. Maybe your happier pretending to be happy every day and flying the skies, and I'm happier being real with my self and down to earth," she gasped harshly and began opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Gippal didn't have any idea what had offended her.

"I'm not pretending any thing! Why would I pretend to be happy, do I look like I'm trying to be happy to you now? Jackass!" she yelled, then rose immediately to her feet, balling her fists up tightly. Rikku was so adorable when she was angry. "And you! Do you really think your being real to your self? All those girls of yours, there has to be some little voice in your head that's telling you the truth! You can't just not listen to it and say your being real, that voice counts too!"

"Why is it every time you try and think of something wrong with me, you go back to me and my girls? There is nothing wrong with someone my age--"

"YES there is! How many girls do you make cry? How many of those girls actually love you, only to find your reason for not loving them back it that there is only one of them? How is it you think I'm so wrong when I'm going to end up coming to your house every night ten years from now just to let you know you're not totally alone, even though every one hates you? Those girls don't last forever, eventually there won't be any left for you to play around with, and those looks … that I've _heard_ you possess will go. You won't have any body!"

"What makes you think you'll do any better? Let's face it kid you're not smart, and if you are no one can see that. You're beautiful, and sexy, and you never let any one see any thing but the flaky dumb coating! And the only men who will ever want you is people who want a dumb hot suck, and you'll be miserable not having the real people you always talk about!"

He struck a nerve.

"Why is there always something wrong with me?" she screamed, "I'm too dumb! I'm too naïve! I'm too damn good-looking! Why do you hate who I am so much, and then keep pushing and pushing and making me hate myself!" Rikku breathed in deeply and waited for an answer.

She upset was because of him, it made him feel miserable. The last thing in the world he'd ever want was to make her unhappy. If he ended up alone he knew Rikku really would be there by his side every day making sure he was okay, and she would have a family and life of her own, if any one got the chance to be near her they'd have to be insane not to love her.

Now was not a time to lie.

"I'm sorry. You just piss me off sometimes, and not because hate you" she backed up a little bit the look in her face said she was bracing for another scolding; ready to run "You're a really good girl. I'll do any thing so you don't get hurt, I don't want to see you ending up with some bum, who doesn't treat you right. You're so much better than that. Maybe I've been just saying all the bad things I see in you to your face because that's what I worry about, and I simply can't stop worrying about you, ever. It won't do any good to tell you the good things when I can't even pin point them myself. Just don't be sad okay, sweetheart, you know the world cries with you," he paused for a bit to look at her face, she was listening, and she had a half smile resting on her lips.

Gippal felt his heart pulse hard against his chest. There were so many more things he needed to say, but he had never seen her so mad before, and he didn't want Rikku to think he was just saying it to make her feel better. He didn't even know what exactly he wanted to say, but once he opened his mouth maybe it would tell them both something neither of them knew.

"Aww, that was almost sweet. Someone's been practicing their pick-up lines," She laughed breathlessly, her eyes locked on his and she immediately fell silent, her legs started shaking, but she didn't blush. Strands of oily blond hair stuck to her face the rest of her hair was mussed, far from glamorous but she never looked better. The boulder sitting on her head wasn't there at least for now and she smiled really, really smiled. It spread across her whole body. As her legs began to desert her she sped towards Gippal falling into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and instantaneously he lifted her off the ground pulling her tight in a hug, never wanting to let go.

* * *

R&R Please? 


End file.
